Saving Mia (2 page)

“No, sweetheart. Trust me don’t get any closer he might shoot you.” Toby warned. Mia thought that was ridiculous. She was an important person and they would not hurt her.

“Excuse me, Sir. I’m Hilmia Warner I need to go back home now. My papa will be angry that I am here.” She told him stepping into the light.

The man began laughing. “Sure you are, and I the Head himself!” He said referring to the Head of the whole city, Hilthomos Kirkland.

“No you’re not!” Mia growled, angry that he was laughing at her. She could hear Marcus snicker behind her. “I demand that you scan my chip!” She screamed at him.

“Kid, go home. I will shoot you if you take even a step closer. These are set to adult settings, it might kill you.” The man laughed again muttering to another man who also began chuckling.

“Come on, Mia. He means it, sweetheart. We’ll bring you back in the morning.” Mia turned looking at Toby.

“He wouldn’t dare!” She screeched then turned intending to move closer to demand again that they scan her. Only Toby caught her lifting her struggling body up and began walking away. She screeched hitting his back as he carried her. From her position she could see Marcus’s face he was barely holding in his laughter at her predicament. It made her angrier. She wasn’t staying with them she howled at them as they carried her off to their home.

The night she’d spent in the slums was what made her realize that the upper class Hillies were a poison that was tearing the heart from the city one piece at a time. One soul a day for more years than she’d been on this earth. She promised that night after talking to Marcus and his sister Raven for three hours that she would never truly be one of the Hillies again.

Mia

Mia turned sixteen today. She sat at the table in a glitzy restaurant feeling guilty. She always felt guilty. So many people in the Slums didn’t have enough to eat, and she was sitting at a table with her family who laughed and talked as they ate to excess. She watched them leave food uneaten on their plates and they didn’t seem to care. It made Mia want to scream at them that they should care that people were going hungry. But she didn’t because they wouldn’t hear it even if she did scream at them.

The excesses of life in the Hill district was disturbing. She didn’t understand why no one saw the truth. She’d had her eyes opened when she had been trapped in the Slums overnight when she was eight. Since that night a horrid sadness had filled her at the poverty her friends Marcus and Raven lived in. She could never be in her glittering world without pain of that knowledge filling her heart.

That night so long ago Mia had been a spoiled little girl who’d been just as blind as her family. She hadn’t seen the truth until after talking with Raven and Marcus in the wee hours of the morning because she’d be afraid to fall asleep. She’d already been shocked by sitting at their table with only oatmeal and two apples that the family had shared for dinner.

Not that she hadn’t already been stunned that night at the gate by the guard’s refusal to allow her to go home. She was grateful that Toby had forced her to come home with them after the guard had threatened to stun her. At the time she’d thought he was being stupid, but now she realized that they would have shocked her with the stun gun if she’d stepped near the guards at the gate.

When Toby had carried her away from the gate and she’d finally seen the house they called a home. She’d thought it was a trick. Only all the houses they had passed had looked the same they were aluminum houses built with dirt floors and no real doors, just a cloth blanket to insulate from the nights cool air. She’d sat at the table when they said they were going to eat and expected exactly what she was used to getting. When what was served was oatmeal, she’d asked rudely for something else. Marcus’s mother had politely told her that this was all they had to offer.

She’d thought the woman was being mean and insisted that she wasn’t going to eat that slop. At which point Marcus had called her a Hillie brat, and she’d been even angrier. Toby had apologized to her about the meal and offered his portion of the apples. She’d eaten them silently watching the family. Not understanding what life was really like for them until later that night when Raven and Marcus had told her about the reason that Marcus worked when she’d finally asked her rude question.

She was lucky that the brother and sister were forgiving because she’d been a spoiled child used to getting her own way, and unsure why no one would let her go home. When they’d made it to the gates the next morning Toby had talked to a friend of his in the guard named Carl. He’d scanned her to find that she was the lost child everyone was searching for, and her nightmare had been over. Only it had opened her eyes and she saw the truth about the difference in the classes.

The slum workers were paid pittance wages that barely fed them and not a single one could afford to get a better education. Only ones from the whore’s district in the slums had even a chance of betterment. Although, many chose to stay in the Slum’s even though they could move up into the life of the lower Hill. They didn’t because even then they were not accepted by the people who lived in the hill district. It was hard for Mia to live with the understanding that her whole life was made on the backs of people who were practically slaves.

Mia glanced up at the window which took up one wall and smiled. Standing outside was Marcus. He was waving at her wildly trying to get her attention.  She got up, excusing herself. Telling her family she needed to use the restroom. She headed to the door walking out into the street. Seeing Marcus leaning against the wall near the alley she headed towards him. She peered around wondering where Raven was as she approached.

“Hi, so how’s it feel to be sweet sixteen?” Marcus asked, grinning at her.

“The same as if felt yesterday. It’s only a number. Where’s Raven?” Mia asked, surprised her other best friend wasn’t here. Marcus’s face darkened at the question. It worried her. Marcus was always very easy going. To see him with a dark frown on his face was worrisome.

“She wanted to be here, Mia. Only she got hurt at the factory today.” Marcus told her. Mia’s heart clenched.

“Is she okay?” She demanded.

“She’s fine. She ended up with a large cut on her arm. They sealed it up and gave her blood, but she was tired from the meds they gave her.” Marcus told her making relief flow through her that at least that was one thing that the Hill district did for the Slum workers. They all got free health care if they worked in the factories. Their children did too, which was why nearly all the workers chose to work there rather than trying to get other, better paid positions.

If they got those better paid positions they were required to pay for their own health care. That would seem like a better deal if the wages would cover that as well as food and shelter. But it didn’t, so many chose to work for the pitiful wages offered at the factories to keep their families healthy. It was a sad vicious cycle of poverty that no one in the Hill District seemed to notice.

“You’re sure she’s fine?” Mia asked, her face pale and her lips drawn. She wanted to scream at the Hill’s privileged. Her friends mattered. Every person who worked themselves to the bone in those factories that kept their golden world working were important. Only she knew it would not do any good. How many times had she tried to talk to her father about this? Only to have him tell her she was a child and she didn’t understand. It was maddening.

“Yeah, she’s fine. I promise.” Marcus told her, his hand rubbing her back as she stood near him.

“Why didn’t you stay with her? I could have waited until tomorrow when she was better.” Mia asked.

“Ha, you know Raven. She insisted that I bring it today. She’ll only turn sixteen once Marcus. We can’t leave her alone with her family she’d think we abandoned her.” Marcus had switched to a fake falsetto voice when telling her what Raven had said. Making Mia laugh for the first time that night.

“It?” she asked, looking up at him in confusion.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot. This is from me and Raven. Mom said she and Dad would give you their gift when you stop by this week.” He pulled a small box with a tattered ribbon from his pocket.

“You shouldn’t have. Neither should your mother and father. Your friendship is enough.” Mia said, even as she opened the small box. She felt guilty again as she pulled out the sliver bracelet. This must have cost them a month’s wages.

“Marcus, you really shouldn’t have. I can’t accept this.” Mia wanted to keep the tiny charm bracelet, but knowing how much it must have cost she couldn’t. Not when she had a full belly and a warm bed. Not when her friends had likely gone without food to get this for her.

“Yes you can. It’s not as expensive as you think. See. Here it’s bent, and this charms missing its tail. And the humming bird’s wings are different sizes see.” Marcus said pointing out the flaws in the bracelet. “I know the guy who works for the jeweler. He got them really cheap for us because they would have thrown them away. You have to keep it, Mia. If you don’t Raven will be mad.”

“Ha, Raven’s never mad.” Mia said, looking up at her friend with tears in her eyes. They were such generous people. They always thought of others first. To have grown up with so little and not be bitter towards someone like her was amazing to Mia. This gift with all its imperfections meant more to her than the diamond earrings and expensive wallet she’d received from her family.

“She will be if you refuse our gift.” Marcus insisted.

“I highly doubt it, but I will take it. It’s perfect.” Mia held her wrist out for him to attach the bracelet. He clasped it onto her wrist and smiled.

Mia wished she could give him the credits that sat heavy in her pocket. A thousand credits that her aunt and uncle had given her weighed heavily on her as she looked up at him. She knew that he would be offended if she offered it to him. He had his pride, and he told her the last time that she offered him her allowance that he wasn’t her friend for her lousy credits and that if she ever offered them to him again he would never speak to her again.

It was one of the only times he’d spoken harshly to her. He’d also not spoken to her for almost two weeks after that incident. Raven had told her he’d come around and thankfully he had. She’d never offered him another credit again. She did buy them gifts though. She brought them whenever she was invited to dinner. It was mostly food and sometimes clothing. She’d gotten both Marcus and Raven pocket watches once for their birthdays. They had both loved them.

“Okay, I’ve kept you from your party long enough. Give us a hug, then I will be on my way.” He held his arms out to her enveloping her in a bear hug. His lips were barely touching her cheek when she heard a harsh voice from behind.

“Hilmia, your dinner is getting cold and this boy needs to get back home I’m sure.” Her father said making her cringe.

No matter how many times she’d told him she preferred Mia he insisted on calling her Hilmia.

“He was just telling me goodbye, papa.” Mia told him as she pulled away from Marcus. She rolled her eyes up at him making him wink in return before he said a jaunty goodbye and headed home. When he was a few feet away her father began talking.

“I have warned you about that boy. Did he try to get you to give him credits? You didn’t give him any did you?” Her father’s gruff voice grated on her nerves a bit. She didn’t understand why he always insisted in thinking that Raven and Marcus were only her friend for her credits. It wasn’t anywhere near the truth she knew.

“He’d never ask that from me, papa.” Mia told him with a frown. How many times would she have to tell him that? She followed him into the entrance of the restaurant.

“He’s a slum dweller. Of course, he’s like that Hilmia. He’s using you princess, you simply can’t see it.” He grumbled, standing in the hall looking at her.

She wanted to argue with him, but she knew from past experience that it wouldn’t do any good. She’d had this conversation with him many times. He never listened. He didn’t know that Mia knew more about life in the Slum district than most of the Hill districts residents ever would. Including her father, which was sad. She’d been going to the Slums to visit Raven and Marcus since she was ten.

“That’s not true…” Mia began, but was interrupted by her father.

“Stop, I will not tolerate this…” Her father was interrupted then by her uncle.

“Hilroy, let the girl be. It’s her birthday. They are just friends.” Her uncle tried to calm her father who was purple in the face and almost frothing at the mouth. She didn’t try again to reason with him. Arguing merely made him became angrier.

“Tristen, you know that he is just using her. He likely wants to convince her to marry him so that he can move up to the hill and live off of me. You know how lazy those Slum dwellers are.” Her father was looking at his brother with narrowed eyes and a dark scowl.

“Stop yelling at the girl. She will learn. You are not going to allow him to take advantage of her so it’s fine. We can protect her. Just let it be.” Tristen gazed at her with a sad sort of pity in his eyes. It made Mia angry that he would pity her for being friends with Raven and Marcus.

“Come back in the family is looking for you.” Tristen told her father.

“Mia lets go back in.”

“Pap..” Mia began, only Tristen told him at the same time. “Let the girl collect herself. The boy’s gone and I will sit with her.

As her father left she sat on the long red bench that rested against the wall. Tristen sat down beside her. She wanted to tell him that she was fine but she wasn’t. Not really. She was fed up with the lack of concern her family and all her other friends showed for the Slum’s residents. She gripped the edge of the seat trying not to yell at him that they were wrong. That all the people in the Hill district were wrong about the Slums residents.

“Mia,” Her uncle said, making her look at him. “You see the truth. Don’t you?”

Not sure what he was speaking about she cautiously asked. “What truth?”

“That the classes are unequal.” He replied.

“Yes.” She whispered a bit shocked that he saw it too.

There was a long pause where neither of them spoke. Then he asked, “Have I ever told you about my mistress?”

Tristen asked shocking her. She knew that many men in the Hill had mistresses but it wasn’t something one usually spoke of with their sixteen year old niece.

“No.” She replied, staring up at him.

“Well. Her name is Pearl. She has a daughter about your age, you know.” He looked at her and she wondered why he was telling her this.

“I met her about nine years ago. Your aunt and I had agreed that we were not in love, but we needed to remain married. I went to find someone to handle that part of my nature. That was when I met Pearl. She is a wonderful woman. I would have left your aunt for her and Racheal you know.” He told her surprising her again. Her uncle wasn’t the type to bring scandal on the family and him leaving her aunt for a Slum whore could have brought quite a bit down on their heads.